Keep in mind that the authors do admit this study to be not much more than a collection of anecdotal statements. While it’s certainly interesting, be wary of using these stories to generalize about Christian deconversion.
I’m not really surprised about the reasons they found—while I do not have any serious experience with Christians, I would expect their relationship with God to be treated like any other. What good is a personal relationship if it has to be intrinsically different from any other relationship you have?
Keep in mind that the authors do admit this study to be not much more than a collection of anecdotal statements. While it’s certainly interesting, be wary of using these stories to generalize about Christian deconversion.
I’m not really surprised about the reasons they found—while I do not have any serious experience with Christians, I would expect their relationship with God to be treated like any other. What good is a personal relationship if it has to be intrinsically different from any other relationship you have?